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High Number of Omagh Parking Tickets a Turn off for Shoppers says McColgan

Published: 11 March, 2014

Omagh Council Chairperson Marty McColgan has criticised the high number of parking tickets issued over the past year in Omagh saying that it is a turn off to shoppers.

Councillor McColgan said,

"Drivers in Omagh received the most parking tickets in County Tyrone with 3,979 issued last year. That amounts to over 70 tickets issued every single week. This is double the amount issued in Cookstown, Strabane and Dungannon. The number of parking tickets being issued in Omagh is having a negative impact on the number of shoppers coming into the town.

"While I understand the need for traffic management the entire parking strategy in Omagh needs to be reviewed as the parking problem has existed for many years.

"If Omagh is to attract people into the town centre for shopping and recreation then we need a sensible approach to parking.

"I have now written to Regional Development Minister Danny Kennedy asking him to permanently extend the reduced parking fees which he introduced during the Christmas period to encourage shoppers into Omagh.

"I am also calling on him to look at more designated parking spaces with extended times that will allow people more time to relax and shop."